Authoritative Texts (Central Laws) Act, 1973

Authoritative Texts (Central Laws) Act, 1973

[Act No. 50 of 1973]

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Authorized translations of the various Central laws in State official languages would be extremely useful to the general public and also for official purpose; of the States, which have adopted languages other than Hindi and English as official languages of their States. Therefore when the Official Language (Legislative) Commission was first constituted w 1961, it was also entrusted with the function of arranging for translation of Central Acts, Ordinances and Regular Ions into various official languages of the States. According to the existing arrangements, the translations in a State official language is prepared by or under the auspices of the Government of the State concerned and finalised by the official Language (Legislative) Commission in consultation with the translating authority. In the absence of any legal provision for their authentication and publication, such translations can have no legal status and their utility would be limited. It is, therefore, necessary to make provision for the publication of authorized translations of Central Acts, Ordinances as also of orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws issued under the Constitution or under any Central Act, in State official languages. Hence this Bill.-S.O.R.-Gaz. of Ind., 22-11-1972, Pt. II, S. 2, Ext., P. 1153.

Act 18 of 1988. – Under Section 2 of the Authorized Translations (Central Laws) Act 1973, a translation in any language, other than Hindi, specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution and published under the authority of the President of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by the President or of any order, rule. Regulation or bye-law issued under the Constitution or under any Central Act shall be deemed to be the authorized translation thereof in such language.

2. Section 5(1) of the Official Languages Act. 1963 provides for authoritative texts in Hindi of Central Act, etc. At present, there is no provision in the Authorized Translations (Central Laws) Act, 1973 for providing authoritative texts of Central Act, etc., in the languages, other than Hindi, specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. As. ‘much, these cannot be quoted in Courts of law. There has also been a general demand for authoritative texts of Central Acts, etc., in the languages, other than Hindi, specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. The proposed amendment is being brought forward lo fulfill this demand. This will enable the authoritative texts of Central Acts, etc., in the languages, other than Hindi, specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to be quoted in the Courts of law and facilitate the use of these languages in Courts of law iodated in Stales where such languages are the official languages.-S.O.R.-Gaz. of Ind., 31-8-1987, Pt. II. S. 2, Ext. P. 58 (No. 45).

An Act to provide for [authoritative texts] of Central laws in certain languages.

Be it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-

2. Authoritative texts of Central laws in certain languages.

A translation in any language(other than Hindi) specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, published under the authority of the President in the Official Gazette,-

(a) of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by the President, or

(b) of any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued under the Constitution or under any Central Act, shall be deemed lo be the 1[authoritative texts] thereof in such language

(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes this Act.

(2) Every rule made under this section shall be lad, as soon as may be after it is made. before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the-session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made. the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the algidity of anything previously under that rule.